Briggs Fires Perfect Game as Emmanuel Softball Sweeps Norwich

THE BASICS 
G1 – Emmanuel College, 8 vs. Norwich University, 0 (5 inn.)
G2 – Emmanuel College, 16 vs. Norwich University, 0 (5 inn.)

Records: 
Emmanuel Saints (12-10, 4-0 GNAC)
Norwich Cadets (1-15, 0-6 GNAC)

Location: Boston, Mass. – Roberto Clemente Field 

Date: Friday, April 7, 2023 

THE LEAD – First year pitcher Mackenzie Briggs (West Warwick, R.I.) tossed a five-inning perfect game to highlight a pair of complete-game shutout victories for Emmanuel College over Norwich University in Great Northeast Athletic Conference softball action Friday afternoon at Roberto Clement Field in Boston, Mass. Senior Tianna Dawe (Lynn, Mass.) threw a complete-game shutout in the Saints 8-0 Game 1 win before Briggs was flawless in a 16-0 Game 2 victory. 

HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 1) 

• The Saints blitzed the Cadets in the top of the first inning for three runs and never looked back in their first shutout victory of the year. First year Christyna Winstead (Uncasville, Conn.) drove in the first run of the day on a sac fly, plating sophomore outfielder Taylor Chelak (Westborough, Mass.) to make it 1-0. 
• Senior outfielder Lylah Niederberger (Buzzards Bay, Mass.) belted a two-RBI double down the left field line to bump the lead to 3-0 later in the inning. 
• Emmanuel opened things up in the second with five runs on five hits to extend the lead to 8-0. 
• Chelak delivered an RBI single to center for the fourth EC run of the day before senior outfielder Julyanne Pacheco (Somerset, Mass.) connected on an RBI single to left to move the needle to 5-0. 
• Winstead delivered her team-leading third home run of the year to cap the game's scoring with a three-run blast to centerfield to give Emmanuel to 8-0, more than enough run support for Dawe who picked up the win in the circle to move to 5-9 on the season. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS (Game 1) 

• Emmanuel's starting outfield (Pacheco, Chelak & Niederberger) combined for six hits, four RBI and four runs scored. 
• Winstead finished with a career-best four RBI in the win. 
• Dawe notched her first complete-game shutout of the year and the # of her career, scattering three hits over five innings of work while striking out a pair. 
• NU's Kennedy White (Randolph Center, Vt.) went 2-for-2 on the day to pace the Cadets at the plate. 
• EC's defensive unit turned a pair of double-plays in the win. 

HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 2) 

• Briggs needed little support but got all she'd need from the Saints in the first as EC got off to another fast start with the three first batters reaching base and scoring to open the action. Chelak opened the action drawing a walk, Pacheco followed with a bunt single before junior shortstop Olivia Conti (Cranston, R.I.) singled down the left field line, all eventually crossing home to put the guests on top, 3-0. 
• In the second, first year pitcher Mackenzie Briggs (West Warwick, R.I.) led off with a single and scored to make it 4-0 on an RBI double to right-center from senior first baseman Maegan Amsler (Hanover, Mass.). 
• Niederberger drove in the fifth Emmanuel run on a sac fly in the third to bump the lead to 5-0 before the Saints tacked on six runs in the fourth to get into run-rule territory. Pacheco, Conti, Niederberger, Briggs and Dawe all recorded an RBI in the inning to put the game well in hand at 11-0. 
• Conti helped preserve the bid with a nice play in the fourth, going to her right in the hole at short on a grounder by Julia Vawter (Pelham, N.H.). Conti threw a bullet to first and got Vawter in a bang-bang play to keep Briggs in line for the masterpiece.  
• Emmanuel added five more in the fifth to account for the 16-0 final, highlighted by an RBI doubles from Conti and Dawe. 
• Briggs closed the door on the Cadets retiring the side in the ninth including back-to-back strikeouts to seal the deal.  

INSIDE THE NUMBERS (Game 2) 

• The perfect game is the second in Emmanuel College history as Briggs joins Megan Long '20 as the only other player to accomplish the feat. Long tossed her gem on April 17, 2020 in an 8-0 (5 inn.) win over Anna Maria. 
• Briggs moved to 6-1 on the year striking out nine of the minimum 15 batters she faced over the five innings of work. 
• Nine Emmanuel players collected hits in the win as Conti finished the game going 3-for-4 with three runs scored, two RBI and a pair of doubles. 
• Dawe enjoyed a 2-for-2 day with a pair of extra base hits on a double and triple.  
• Chelak, Winstead, senior Emma Crisafulli (Loudonville, N.Y.), Amsler and Briggs also all had multi-hit games in the win. 
• White suffered the setback for NU working 3.1 innings before giving way to Allison Northup (Westerly, R.I.) who worked the final 1.2 innings for the Cadets. 

UP NEXT 

• Both programs return to action on Wednesday, April 12. The Saints play host to Simmons University in a key GNAC North Divisional showdown at Clemente Field scheduled to begin at 5:00 PM. Norwich will look to host Castleton University at 3:30 PM in non-conference action.